Wednesday, April 20, 2011

ELINOR KLIVANS’ SOUR CREAM VANILLA CUPCAKES

sour cream vanilla cupcakes

This recipe, adapted from Elinor Klivans’ book, Cupcakes, was touted by epicurean.com to be great.  They certainly are different.  First, the eggs and sugar are beaten together till light and creamy, then the butter and vanilla are added followed by the sour cream.  Finally, the dry ingredients are blended in.  I’ve never mixed a cupcake batter with this method and decided it was worth a try.  The resulting texture is noteworthy – light, fluffy and airy, with only a small amount of baking powder and baking soda, due to the air beaten into the eggs at the beginning.  And the sturdy cupcakes crown beautifully even though you only use 2 Tbsp. of batter. 
sour cream vanilla cupcakes (3)

My all-time favorite vanilla cupcake recipe is SOUTHERN LIVING'S, but I’m glad I tried these.  If I have sour cream to use up (Southern Living’s cupcakes use buttermilk), I might make them again.

Elinor Klivans’ Sour Cream Vanilla Cupcakes, adapted 
Rating:  8 out of 10
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INGREDIENTS:  1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar (Klivans uses 1 cup, but 3/4 cup makes these plenty sweet.)
1/2 cup (1 stick) room temperature unsalted butter
1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup lite or regular sour cream

Heat oven to 350F.  Grease a 12-cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.  Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt onto a large piece of waxed paper.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar for about 2 minutes, or till light and creamy.  Add butter and vanilla and beat on low speed for about 1 minute, or till well blended.  Beat in dry ingredients on low speed till blended.  Add sour cream and beat till smooth and well blended. 

Fill each cup with about 2 Tbsp. batter.  Bake 14-16 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted into centers returns with just a few crumbs and tops are firm.  Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes.  Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to finish cooling.  Frost as desired.  Yield:  12

sour cream vanilla cupcakes (4)

5 comments:

Diane said...

Mmmmmm can I pop over and try these out. They look delicious. Diane

Beth said...

They look great! Hard to believe each one is only 2 Tbsp of batter!

briarrose said...

Sounds like a wonderful texture. I love the coconut on the frosted tops.

in my kitchen said...

Hi Judy, I'm new to your blog, thanks for sharing your recipes. I will definitely try this one, looks so yummy.

Judy said...

Sweetpea, Welcome to my blog. I hope you like the cupcakes. Let me know.